Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Corals in a Non-Reef Setting in the Southern Arabian Gulf (Dubai, UAE): Fauna and Community Structure in Response to Recurring Mass Mortality

ORCID

0000-0002-6003-9324

ResearcherID

F-8807-2011

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Coral Reefs

ISSN

0722-4028

Publication Date

4-1-1999

Keywords

Coral community structure, Coral fauna, Mass mortality, Water temperature, Sedimentation, Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Reef coral communities in a non-reef setting on shallow, flat hardgrounds were quantitatively sampled in Dubai Emirate (UAE, Southern Arabian Gulf) before and after a coral mass mortality in 1996. The coral fauna consisted of 34 scleractinian species before and 27 after the event, which removed virtually all Acropora. No alcyonacea were recorded. Five community types were identified and characterized by the dominant species: (A) a sparse Porites lutea community in sandy areas, (B) a dense Acropora clathrata community in areas with little sand, (C) a faviid community in muddy areas, (D) a Siderastrea savignyana community in sandy areas, and (E) a Porites compressacommunity, which built a framework in sandy areas. These communities are comparable to those described from other areas of the Gulf, where a stable pattern of community differentiation appears to exist. The spatial distribution and dynamics of the coral communities appears to be strongly influenced by mass mortality events recurring every 15 to 20 y. A combination of extreme water temperatures and high sedimentation/turbidity appear to be the major cause of mortality.

DOI

10.1007/s003380050156

Volume

18

Issue

1

First Page

63

Last Page

73

Comments

©Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999

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